pacific disposition to his habitual cholic and side-ache, and to his
father's inordinate care for him in youth. They even looked forward to
the time when he should blaze forth to the world as a conqueror and a
hero. These, however, were views entertained by but few; the general and
the correct opinion, as it proved, being, that Philip hated war, would
never certainly acquire any personal distinction in the field, and when
engaged in hostilities would be apt to gather his laurels at the hands of
his generals, rather than with his own sword. He was believed to be the
reverse of the Emperor. Charles sought great enterprises, Philip would
avoid them. The Emperor never recoiled before threats; the son was
reserved, cautious, suspicious of all men, and capable of sacrificing a
realm from hesitation and timidity. The father had a genius for action,
the son a predilection for repose. Charles took "all men's opinions, but
reserved his judgment," and acted on it, when matured, with irresistible
energy; Philip was led by others, was vacillating in forming decisions,
and irresolute in executing them when formed.

Philip, then, was not considered, in that warlike age, as likely to shine
as a warrior. His mental capacity, in general, was likewise not very
highly esteemed. His talents were, in truth, very much below mediocrity.
His mind was incredibly small. A petty passion for contemptible details
characterized him from his youth, and, as long as he lived, he could
neither learn to generalize, nor understand that one man, however
diligent, could not be minutely acquainted with all the public and
private affairs of fifty millions of other men. He was a glutton of
work. He was born to write despatches, and to scrawl comments upon those
which he received.

[The character of these apostilles, always confused, wordy and
awkward, was sometimes very ludicrous; nor did it improve after his